There are many known ways to utilize various input devices along with on-screen displays to affect changes to parameters (e.g. volume, brightness) within a television or monitor. In the art of televisions, often a remote control device is provided as the input device. The remote control usually has some form of arrow keys and at least one select/enter key that is often used in conjunction with an on-screen slider bar to change parameters such as volume, contrast and brightness. In such, the slider bar includes a series of ticks representing a range of settings, either left to right or top to bottom. Each tick represents one or more granular steps between the minimum setting and the maximum setting of the associated parameter. There is a marking icon on the slider bar indicating the current setting of the associated parameter and, each press of the associated arrow key moves the marking icon one granular step in the direction of the arrow key, thereby changing the associated parameter. For example, if the volume slider bar is oriented horizontally, the each press of the left arrow key moves the marking icon left, thereby reducing the volume one gradation. Likewise, each press of the right arrow key moves the marking icon right, thereby increasing the volume one gradation.
For parameters that have a center (or preferred) value such as balance, fade (front/back), contrast, brightness; often the slider bar has a special mark, usually central to the slider bar, indicating such. The special mark is often similar to one of the ticks, only larger, and in some examples, the special mark includes two such larger ticks. This is used to show the user the default or central setting. In current user interfaces, the marking icon moves freely across the slider bar (e.g., if the arrow key is held down) without stopping at these special marks.
What is needed is an improved slider bar that provides a stopping point at one or more central or default positions to improve the user interface.